No Longer Alone
Caffre
*Name you want your story archived under: Caffre
*Title of the Story: No Longer Alone
*E-mail address you want feedback sent to: caffre19@hotmail.com
*Rating: R
*Keywords: X-Over The Pretender meets Highlander
*Character listing: M DM Jarod Miss Parker OC
*Short teaser/summary: The Centre isn't too far behind him as Jarod meets
another immortal.
********************
Note: This is a sequel to my other Highlander/Pretender X-Over entitled
Innocence In The Dark. You really need to read that one first for this one
to make any sense. Hey, I guess I've got my own little Universe going on
here (Isn't it great to be in charge? :)). That said, hope you enjoy and
any feedback is always welcome. Thanks to Molly and Max for the swift beta.
********************
No Longer Alone
Duncan was fixing them both something to eat in the kitchen, while Methos
was checking up on the quality of Macleod's beer.
It had been a week since Jarod had left them, surprising them both with the
level of skill he had acquired in such a short space of time with the use of
a sword. It wasn't that he was just mimicking them. Far from it. He had
gained the ability to use a sword as if he'd been practising all his life.
Methos had suspected that he could even be a match for himself or MacLeod,
and that the Pretender had been holding back a little with what he was truly
capable of.
"All that skill learned in a week. I mean, how good were you after having a
sword for just a week?"
MacLeod turned from stirring some sauce on the stove. "My father knocked me
on my ass for years after I first picked up a sword."
"My point exactly. He might be on the run, but the Centre's taught him
well." He nodded to himself. "I'd say he's a contender you know."
Surprise echoed through Macleod's voice. "For the Prize? You really think
so?"
"He's a survivor. He's already proven that. Plus, he's like one of those,
ah, chameleon things. He can blend in wherever he goes." Methos took
another swig of his beer. "Trust me MacLeod, it's a really handy skill to
have."
Duncan took a taste of his sauce before replying with a smile. "Trust you?
Why should I change a habit of a lifetime?"
Adam threw his beer cap at him, Duncan moving just in time so it instead
fell into the sauce. "For flavour?"
* * * * *
It hadn't taken Raines long to track down the man who Miss Parker had met
that night Jarod had been shot. Once he had been traced and ran through the
system, he had been named as one Adam Pierson, a post-grad student from
England who had just finished his PhD in France. The Centre's offices in
London had gone into his history and discovered very little other than some
basic information. Date of birth, parent's names, his schools. Nothing of
any importance or anything that would place him in a position to actually
know Catherine Parker. Raines had looked at his file and had known as soon
as he was halfway through the scant information that it was faked. He had
plenty experience of deception to know when he was being deceived himself.
Still, he had known her. Reports from his own operatives from the sweeper
team that night had only confirmed his suspicions when they told him about
Pierson calling Miss Parker 'Catherine'. He was too much of a liability to
be allowed to continue roaming the streets. He could hold information that
could lead Jarod to his parents. It was clearly an unacceptable risk.
A cleaner team had been dispatched to Seacover, and Raines was waiting for
the call to tell him that he had been taken out. He'd taken care to ensure
that Miss Parker was out of the Centre while this was being done, the woman
in question having heard of a lead concerning Jarod on the east coast.
Right now he didn't care. This was far more important.
* * * * *
Jarod had moved on to Boston and to what had turned into a relatively short
Pretend. Someone had been selling kids drugs in high school, and, after a
little digging it had turned out to be one of the teachers, supplying
through a few of the students in return for better grades in his maths
class. Jarod had come into the school as a janitor and had found what he
needed in the form of one of the students. Another student, Rebecca, had
suspected something and had been heard threatening to complain; only to have
drugs found in her locker. She had been expelled, especially after her
unsympathetic maths teacher had complained that drugs where one of the worst
evils a school had to face. Thanks to Jarod she was back in school, and the
maths teacher had been found in the Headmaster's locker with all his supply.
Jarod hadn't done anything to the kids other than look at their past
performances in regards to their math classes, hacked into the computer and
then gave them the grades they would have gotten if they hadn't of cheated.
Now, he was in his dingy little apartment, surfing the Internet for any sign
of his mother. He knew what Methos had told him, that they weren't 'born'
as such, but where foundlings, but he was still determined to find her. She
might not be my birth mother, he thought to himself, but she's as close as
I'm going to get in this world.
After several hours and still nothing, Jarod grabbed his jacket and went
out. He was hungry and he wasn't keen on cooking when it was just himself.
And besides, he was all out of donuts.
* * * * *
The coffee had been good, but the donuts had been even better, and he was
eating out of the box on his way back to the apartment when he felt it.
Just like with MacLeod and Methos, he could feel the presence of another
immortal somewhere around him. Focusing, he turned and saw her.
A tall blonde haired woman was looking at him from across the street, her
face unreadable. Jarod finished what he was eating before crossing over the
road. He wasn't going to challenge anyone, but protocol (according to
MacLeod at any rate) demanded that he introduce himself.
He nodded as he reached her. "I'm Jarod."
Suddenly the unreadable expression looked liked it was holding back a laugh.
"What?"
"Sorry." She said, her mouth turning up into a smile that made her seem
more alive somehow. "You have jam on your face."
He grinned at that, wiping it away with a finger, before sticking it in his
mouth.
"I'm Andrasta of the Iceni."
"Andrasta? That's a very unusual name. I like it."
"Thanks. I think I would have noticed another immortal around here before
now. You're not one of these, 'live for the game' types are you?"
Jarod visibly relaxed. She seemed more than friendly, and nothing he could
tell about her made her out to be lying.
"No, I'm not after any ones head."
She leaned in close to him, lifting the lid off the box of donuts he had
before looking up at him. "You have quite a selection there Jarod. Got any
Boston crèmes?"
He smiled at her. Was he imagining it, or was she hitting on him?
"Plenty. Want to share?"
* * * * *
They had actually not gone anywhere other than the café that Jarod had
bought the donuts in the first place.
He ordered them both coffee and set the box on the table in front of him.
"So, Andrasta of the Iceni. Do you live here in Boston?"
"Actually, no. I'm just passing through. Actually, I was gunned down in
England about a month ago. I've been living out of my suitcase, trying to
find somewhere new to live. "What about you?"
"My new life story pretty much began two weeks ago. I got shot by an
old...employer. Well, except that they never actually paid me." Jarod
couldn't help the smile cross over his face. "Well, never voluntarily at
any rate."
The other immortal looked at him. "Wait a minute. Your telling me you've
only been..."She whispered the word, "Immortal...For two weeks? Really?
You really shouldn't be walking around so blatantly without some sword
skills." He watched as her face set into something he couldn't quite
fathom. "If you need a teacher, I can help you. I've been around for a
while, I know my round a sword."
He couldn't believe how generous she was being. "Wow. I mean, you've only
known me for all of what? Five minutes, and you'd do that for me?"
The woman beside him set her coffee down. "It's important to have a good
first teacher, believe me, I know."
He saw the pain briefly flash across her face and decided not to ask. "No,
I'm fine. I...learn very quickly, and I did have a couple of really good
teachers. Over in Seacover." He reached for his own coffee. He hadn't
realised how tempting it would be to name drop. Methos, the oldest immortal
was my teacher, and Duncan MacLeod. Two names apparently famous in immortal
circles. "Do you mind me asking how old you are?"
"You should never ask a woman her age Jarod."
"Really? Why?"
It was asked in all innocence, and she couldn't hide the grin. "Forget it.
I 'died' around 2000 years ago over in Norfolk, England."
It wasn't as old as Methos, but still. 2000 years!
"Do you mind me asking how you died?"
"No, I don't mind. I was sacrificed to my goddess. I later found out that
my 'husband to be' at the time wanted me dead so we could be immortal
together. He was...eager for us to be together. Biggest mistake of my
life. "
It seemed best not to pry too much further into that. "I don't even know
how old I am, and I only died for the first time two weeks ago." He saw the
inquiring look as she took another drink from her cup. "I was taken from my
family at an early age by a group of people who really had no business
raising a child. They saw my intelligence as both a tool and a weapon." He
could feel the same old bitter feelings at what had been done to him
surfacing and he tried to swallow them down. "I was kept locked up and
'trained' for 30 years, I finally broke free and I've been trying to stay
out of their path for a long time now. Plus, if they ever get me back and
realise I'm immortal, my life won't be worth living."
"You're on the run from a secret organisation?"
He smiled. He'd heard the laughter behind her words.
"Don't get me wrong, I believe you, it's just, well, it makes for an
interesting existence don't you think?"
"Sometimes just a bit too interesting."
She raised her cup to his, and clinked them together. "You can say that
again."
* * * * *
Having spent the entire day just 'talking' in the café, Jarod had told
Andrasta about his mother and the Centre in more detail and of his life
outside it, while she had given her very own unique point of view of certain
aspects of world history.
Outside now, Jarod felt somewhat confused. He didn't want to say goodbye to
her.
"Would you..." He could feel the blush rise over his face. He wasn't
exactly experienced when it came to women, and here he was, standing in
front of a 2000 year old one. "No, I'm sorry, it doesn't..."
She cut him off, placing a hand on his cheek and gently stroking it down his
face. "Of course it matters."
Jarod had closed his eyes at the simple touch, human contact on this level
something he wasn't used to, but had promised himself he would savour the
next time he ever got the chance.
He reached up and took her hand, kissing the inside of her palm. "Come home
with me?"
She reached a hand to behind his neck, and pulled him close to her, their
mouths meeting to share a sensual kiss. After what seemed like an eternity
they broke apart. "I'd like nothing better."
* * * * *
Miss Parker sat on the only chair in the room, while Sam and Sydney both sat
on the bed. She could feel it, could feel that victory was finally in her
grasp. She'd found Jarod's location and was currently waiting for him in
the room next to his. She had had her car hidden and had called for no
other sweepers except for her own trusted few. She was keeping this
low-key. All she had to do was wait.
She couldn't keep the smile off her face. Jarod was coming home and she
would be free of the Centre.
* * * * *
They hadn't even made it as far as the door before they were all over each
other, hands roaming everywhere. Andrasta bit down gently on the side of
Jarod's neck, causing him to gasp a little.
"Hey, have you ever read the Karma Sutra Jarod?"
He removed his mouth from her neck for a brief moment to reply. "Twice."
She laughed as she leaned back a little to let him get better access, the
sensations running through her at his touch something she hadn't felt in a
very long time with another immortal. "I thought...Oh God..." She forced
herself to breathe. "I thought you only had to read something once...
to...to..."
He brought his hand out from his pocket, keys in his hand, and fumbled as he
tried to open the door. "I liked the pictures."
He pushed it open a bit too hard, the door hitting the wall beside it.
They separated for a moment, Andrasta looking around the room. "I'm sorry
its such a mess, but..."
"Jarod? I once lived in a cave. I really couldn't care less." She came up
to him, a smile on her face, her hands settling on his chest. "As long as
you have a bed..."
He began unbuttoning her top, and once that was done, he ran his hands over
her breasts, leaning down to kiss her.
He stopped for a second, breathy and excited, his eyes hungry for what was
standing in front of him. "And if I didn't?"
She went for his mouth, her own hunger sparking her lust for him. "We'd
just..." More kissing as they fell onto the bed. "Have to make do, wouldn't
we?"
* * * * *
"This is it Syd. I'm finally going to nail me this coffin lid shut." She
turned to Jarod's protector, a savage smile there that disturbed Sydney.
Despite everything, he'd always believed that Miss Parker at heart wanted
Jarod to be free of the Centre.
"Miss Parker..."
She dropped her cigarette on to the carpet, grinding it underneath her foot.
Pulling a gun from behind her jacket she tapped him on the chest with it.
"Don't even start with me. And don't even think of getting in my way,
cause, if I have to, this bullet goes through you before it hits Jarod. Are
we clear?"
She was going to do this, and he could do very little to stop her. He held
up his hands in defeat. "I won't get in your way Miss Parker, but consider
this...Is this what you truly want?"
Miss Parker smiled. "I truly wanted a pony when I was eight, and I got it.
Now I truly want to put Jarod back where he belongs so I can get on with my
life, and I intend to do just that. I'm glad we've had this chance to work
together Syd. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a kneecap or two to put a
bullet in."
* * * * *
Clothes were scattered everywhere, and the two immortals were both on the
bed, their bodies almost naked apart from the underwear they hadn't gotten
round to taking off yet.
Jarod was enjoying making Andrasta moan when ever he pressed hard against
her, his erection starting to demand that it be let free from the confines
of his boxers.
Hands grabbed his head and pulled him in for a smouldering kiss, tongues
gliding against one another as they fought together.
The door to the room they where in suddenly was kicked off it's hinges, both
Andrasta and Jarod looking up against the light to see figures standing
there.
"Well, well, well. Looks like I caught a Pretender with his pants down."
She shook her head, making no effort to disguise the enjoyment she was
taking at his discomfort. "Is that a gun in your pocket, or are you just
glad to see me?"
Jarod felt his stomach twist. "Miss Parker."
"Get dressed Jarod. You're going home."
* * * * *
"Miss Parker! Come and take a look at this?"
Sam was standing guard at the door, but he had found two swords sitting by
the way out. He held one up, the light catching it. "What do you think
these are for?"
Parker barely spared them a glance, never once taking her eyes off Jarod.
"Who cares? Lets get going already. You ready Jarod?"
Jarod could hardly speak, he was so angry at having been caught, and at
having placed in danger a woman he knew he already had feelings for.
"I'm never going back there. I'd rather die."
"Yes, well you did that the last time didn't you. And yet you didn't stay
dead. I don't liked being played like that Jarod. Nobody makes a fool of
me."
"I'd say you're quite capable of doing that all by yourself."
"I beg your pardon?" The tone Parker used was dangerous, but Andrasta
wasn't in the least put off by it.
"You have no idea who or what you're dealing with anymore. You're way over
your head and you don't even realise your drowning."
Andrasta had taken a step closer, and Jarod could suddenly see that she was
going for the gun Parker held in her hand. He felt fear shoot through him
at the thought that she might get hurt, but then he realised. She was
immortal. They both were. He almost grinned. He'd only come back from the
dead once; it was still something he was learning to get used to.
"I'd be the one who would worry about..." She didn't get to finish her
sentence, as Andrasta hit her in the face with her fist, trying to get the
gun out of her hand. However, Parker wasn't stupid. She'd been prepared
for some move by Jarod. Coming from the woman, it had only surprised her a
little. She used her gun to hit Andrasta in the face, knocking the other
woman to the floor.
Jarod was at her side in an instant, instinct making him look at the cut on
her face that was bleeding. "You didn't have to do that!"
"Yes I did...Jarod..." Parker stared as a small flare of what looked like
electricity raced over the cut above Andrasta's eye, healing it over in
seconds. Both Sydney and Sam had seen it too. Slowly a smile that even
Jarod hadn't seen before crossed Parkers face. "Well, it looks like we've
got ourselves a two for one kinda deal here." She bent down and cupped
Jarod's chin, hard, making him look at her. "I bet Mr. Raines is going to
*love* playing with her. Don't you think Jarod?"
He pulled out of her grasp, saying nothing.
Parker stood up turning to her team. "Pack this little show up. I want to
be gone in 5 minutes. Are we clear gentlemen?"
Parker left the room, the sweepers knowing not to reply, as it had been a
purely rhetorical question.
* * * * *
Sam scanned the street as two men led both Jarod and Andrasta out of the
apartment block. Jarod was grateful that at least he didn't have the DSA's
with him. He'd stored them along with his Halliburton case in the janitor's
locker back at Roosevelt High, the place of his last pretend. He cast a
quick look at Andrasta, and suddenly knew she was planning something again.
He watched, ready for it as she stumbled slightly coming down the last step
of the building. She made to grab onto the man walking beside her, as if
she was going to steady herself. What she did instead was grab him hard and
throw him into the man next to Jarod, knocking the two to the ground.
Parker turned at the commotion, just in time to see Jarod hit Sam hard in
the face, taking both the swords out of his hands before the other sweeper
hit the ground. He tossed Andrasta her sword, who within seconds had the
business end pointed at Parkers neck.
"You wouldn't dare!" Pure arrogance kept Parker from feeling threatened.
Andrasta smiled. "You think? If I told you just how many people I've
killed in my life, 'Miss Parker' you wouldn't have even said something
so...stupid." The immortal didn't turn around as she spoke to Jarod. "Get
in the drivers seat. We're going to have to get out of here."
Jarod couldn't help but worry as Parker felt the tip of the blade on her
throat, but still, he got into the car. He really didn't think she was in
any real danger.
Andrasta heard the door slam shut, and shortly after the engine gunning.
All of Jarod's belongings that had been up in the apartment had been moved
down into the car before, so there was nothing being left behind.
Andrasta cautiously moved closer to the car. "Jarod isn't the same man you
once knew. He's different now."
Sydney interrupted her. "What do you mean, different?"
The immortal could sense the impatience coming from the man in the car
behind her, but she needed to tell them this.
The passenger car door opened up behind her. "Andrasta, get in! We have to
go!"
She never took her gaze off Parker. "Just stop this. Stop looking for him.
You really don't have a clue to what you're getting into anymore." Her
piece said, she dropped her sword slightly and got in the car, the tires
burning rubber onto the tarmac as they sped away.
Parker pulled her gun and fired off a few rounds, her sweepers joining in as
the car sped up the street and around a corner. She angrily turned to the
man beside her and pushed him hard out of her way as she stepped back up
onto the pavement.
"Damn!"
Sydney said nothing, too busy trying to hide his relief that Jarod had
gotten away.
It was Parker who spoke to him first. "I'm going to see that bitch again
Sydney, and when I do..." She let the threat hang in the air as she pulled
out her phone and called her father.
* * * * *
It had been nearly 12 hours since the incident with Miss Parker, and only
now did Jarod feel safe enough to slow down for a while. They had ditched
the car as soon as they had had the chance, picking up a clean one that
would be harder to trace.
Andrasta was out getting them something to eat while Jarod set up his
computer in their room. He'd just activated one of his email accounts when
the door opened. He looked up to see her carrying some takeout. He stood
up immediately, taking some of the food off her and setting it down on a
nearby table.
"I'm so sorry."
"What?" She really didn't understand, and then she did. "Oh Jarod, you
don't have to be sorry." She smiled. "Not for this." She wrapped her arms
around him. "If anything, I should thank you."
He pulled back to look at her. "Thank me? What on earth for? Now the
Centre and Miss Parker are going to be after you."
"Jarod, I know that, and it doesn't bother me in the slightest. I've come
across a lot worse than the Centre in my life." She pulled away from him,
sitting down on the bed. "I was going to ask you something?"
"Anything? What is it?"
She wiped her hands over his face, dark green eyes looking up at him. "I
want to help you. Come with you." She held up her hand to stop him from
interrupting her. "I've been on this earth for a long time Jarod, done some
good and some bad, and while I have put that guilt behind me, I've found a
taste for doing good. Let me put it this way. You're a Pretender because
you're smart and have been trained." She quickly licked her lips, her mouth
a little dry. "I'm a Pretender from over two thousand years of experience.
I can help, and if I'm honest, I don't want to leave you. And besides, it's
not like I can get killed. Well, at least, not in the normal way."
Jarod took her hand, holding it tight. "You really want to stay with me?
Even..."
She kissed him. "Even with the Centre hunting us down." He responded to
her kiss, a part of him taking note of the fact that he wasn't going to be
alone anymore.
Just as things were beginning to heat up between them, a synthetic voice
announced: 'You Have Mail.'
Knowing that it was more than likely from Sydney regarding what the Centre
thought of his latest break from them, he offered Andrasta an apologetic
grin.
"Go on then, see what it is."
He pulled the computer over to him, opening up the mail. Surprisingly it
wasn't from Sydney at all. It was from Methos.
'Jarod,
Had a visit from your old friends. Afraid we had to deal with it.
Your other old friend,
Adam.
He looked over to Andrasta. This wasn't something he could ignore, despite
the dangers in going back there so soon. "Have you ever been to Seacover?"
* * * * *
Mr. Raines reluctantly pushed open the door to Miss Parker's office.
"I hear your latest attempt to capture Jarod ended as per usual."
She looked up at him from her notebook. "Shouldn't you have dropped dead
about a year ago Raines?"
He ignored her, instead throwing a file onto her desk. Frowning her dislike
of him, she opened it up, only to see the face of the man who had called her
Catherine looking back up at her. It was a pretty good shot of him.
"You're showing me this why?" She held back her worry that yet another lead
to her mother was again exposed to the Centre and to the walking zombie in
front of her. Still, she felt it was beneath her to show Raines that she
was worried. She would never give him the satisfaction.
"We know this man was with Jarod on the night of his so called death a short
while ago in Seacover. This..." He placed another photograph in front of
her, the dead bodies of two sweepers she had vaguely known. "Is what
happened when we tried to talk to him."
She knew she was only getting half of this story. She seriously doubted
that they had been sent to merely 'talk' to the man.
"And what? You really expect me to care? Leave me alone Raines, I've got
enough problems of my own." She picked up her favourite lighter, the chunky
silver one a college friend had once given her and lit a cigarette in front
of him.
"We want to wait awhile, and then send you in. We know this man has
connections to your mother, and we know that he called you by her name that
night." He turned around, dragging his tank behind him as he left her. "In
your own interests, I would have thought you would have wanted to know more
yourself." He turned away, leaving her alone as the squeak of the wheels on
his oxygen tank marked his passage away from her office.
Parker picked up the photograph and examined the face on it in more detail.
Whoever this man was, he had known her mother. Her mother felt like the
only part of her life that was clean, despite everything else that had
happened to her, that had resulted in her death.
She threw down the photograph, standing to look out of her window. Whatever
else happened, she had to find out the truth from this man, and protect him
somehow from both the Centre and Mr. Raines.
The End